Water skate



2 SHEETS-SHEEI l.

1. T. KELLY.

WATER SKATE.

man Aus 2a 1922 2` SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@ttor nui To all whom t may concern v .ronnr r. nnnnmor Burrn,Mon'r'nn'n.

` `'WATER SKATE.

Application nledugust 23, 1922. Serial No. 583,888. j.

Be it known that lf, JOHN T. KELLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Butte, inthe county of SIVerBOw and State of Montana, haveinvented a new and useful Water Skate, of which the `following is aspecification. j i y j Thisinvention relates to a float of novelconstruction designed forwuse asa water skate so that, by attaching oneof these deL vices to each foot of the user, it becomes possible for theperson to stand on the surface of a body of water and propel himselfthereover in substantially the same manner as though skating on thesurface of the ground or on ice.`

Une of the objects of the invention is to provide a structure of thischaracter vwhich is light and durable in construction, can be securedreadily to the shoe of the user, and

which has means combined therewith for "featheringv through` the waterduring the forward movement of the skate but which will exert a backwardpressure against the water when the skate is subjected to a backwardthrust.

`Another object is to provide a water skate which, when not in use, canbe collapsed and folded so as to occupy the minimum s ace.l

With the foregoing and other objects in view which willappear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed e j and olainiech itbeing understood that, with in the scopeof what is claimed5 changes in. the precise embodiment 'of the inventionshown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In 'the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown'. In said drawings j Figure 1 is a plan view` of the device.Figure `2 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section. t l

Figure 3 is a section on a reduced scale taken on the line 33, Figure 2,parts being broken away. i

`Figure 1 `is a perspective viewiof one of the paddles. A H v j `Figure5 is asecton on: lille 5-5, Figure Figure 6 .is a section on line 6&6,Figure 2. j f

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the endsections of the keel portion of the device, these sections beinghingedly connected as at 2 to the intermediate section 3 of the keel.Hingedly connected to the outer end of each section 1 is an upstandingnose piece l preferably hollow, the hinge 5 being so arranged that eachnose piece l can swing inwardly and downwardly onto the adjacent sectionj 1. Inclined side straps @of leather or other suitable material connectthe upper ends of these nose pieces to the sides of the sections 1 asshown. j

Hingedly connected to the sides of each of the sections 1 are bowedstrapsjl' preferably formed of metal. i j

To thesides of each of the bowed strips 'i' are connected ears 8preferably arranged in pairs and similar ears arranged in pairs aresecured to the bottomsof the sections l, as shown lat 9. Pivotallymounted between the ears of each pair is an arcuate block 10 provided atone end of a paddle 11. These blocks are preferably so shaped that` whenthe paddles are outstanding, as shown in i Figure 2, the inner ends ofthe blocks will `bear against the connections between the ears, thus tohold the paddles against swing- `ing movement in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Figure 2. `The blocks by reason of their contours,however, will allow the paddles to swing in thc opposite directions, aswill be obvious by referring to Figure 2e Hingedly connected to theupper portions of the bowedfstrips 'l' and the nose piece flaretelescopically connected top strips 12. 1The innermost strips `7 are notthus 'con nested, however, but instead3 are provided with upstandingbrackets 13 and 14 respectively. The bracket 13 has an upwardly extending slot 15 therein in which is adjust- `ably mounted the threadedend of a tie rod 16. The other end of this Vtie rod is adjustablymounted within ajlongitudinal slot 17 formed in an angular tongue 1'8secured `to the top and bottom portions of the bracket 20 is secured onthe bracket 13 and terms the heel portion of a oot rest. The tie rod 16has a central eye 2l. The ends ol the tie rod are adapted to be clampedto the slotted portion by means of nuts 22. l Any suitable means`l` maybe employed for `tastening the toe plate 19 and the heel plate 2O to theshoe o the user. For example an upstanding arcuate flange 23, may beused as a back rest for the heel of the shoe, this flange having a strap24 extending therefrom for extending over the shoe. Laterally adjustablesole gripping jaws 25'can be slidablyconnected to the toe plate 1S,these jaws being formedwith dependingportions 26 engaged by an adjustingscrew 27 as ligure 3,. A strap 28 may conneetl the upstandingsolegripping portions ofV and strap', Vin'Y turn, can be Connected tothe strap 24 by a loopedistrap 2,9.l Ygslidab'le heel gripping jaw'()can be mounted on the heel plate' 20, the same being operated bymeansoi:` a screw 31.

It i's to be understood that the means ein` ployed for fastening theskate to a shoe does not in itself constitute any part otthe presentinvention as any suitable mechanism JIfor this purpose can be employed.The said shoe v-gripping means has there-tore been shown and describedgenerally rather than specificallyi' 'An air bag 32 is adapted to bearranged along the keel of the skate' and is adapted tobefsurroi'indedby vthefarched strips 7, this air extending up throughthe nose pieces as shown in Figures fand 2. The air. bag has a ValveAstem' 33 projectingloosely through the eye 21..

Then the skate is to be used the air bag 82 is inflated and will thushold the keel extended. The toe plate and the heel plate areattached tothe shoe of the wearer and it will vbe obvious that when the skate ismoved l"forwardly relative to the body et water the paddles 11 willleather whereas, when a backward thrust is exerted against the body ofwater through the skate paddles'will be'maintaine'd in 'entstandposition so as thus t propel' the user forwardly.v When the skate'i'snot' n use the air'r bags canbefdeated and re'movedv after whichthe 'tierocl'slt can bediseonnecfed from vthe slotted portions/15 1T" and" strap29 disconnected 'from thestrap 2l or 28. 'Thereafter the keel can befolded by swinging the members 1 downwardly so as to bring their lowersurfaces substantially into parallelr relation. The loopedor bowedystrips 7 can be swung onto the portions 1 of thel keel and ythe-.nosepieces 4 will also be swung inwardly, thus making avery compact teinturethat @ail be Carried readily- Qlmed'iss 1- #dem pif @he .das decreedinclud.- Aing a foldable keel,l arcuate strips' pivotallly connectedthereto, nose pieces hingedly connected to the ends of the keel,telescopic con nections between said nose pieces and cerain of thearcuate strips, adjustable means mounted on certain of Said arcuatestrips for engaging the heel of a shoe, a float held to the keel andbetween the nose pieces by said arcuate strips, and paddles pivotallyconnected to the keel and arcuate strips and mounted to feather.

2. A device ot the class described including a foldable keel., a float,means bridging the float :tor connecting it to the keel, featheringpaddles upon thc keel and connectingr means, and means mounted on saidconnecting means for engagement with the shoe of a user.

3. The combination with a foldable keel, nose pieces hingedlyconnectedthereto, and a float removably mounted on the keel and between the nosepieces, of means extending over the float for connecting it to the keel,l'eathering paddles upon said means and the keel, and means forconnecting the float to the shoe of' the user.

el. The combination with a collapsible keel, and nose pieces hingedlyconnected thereto. o'l' a detachable oat mounted on the keel between thenose. pieces. means extending over the loat for connecting lit to thekeel, 'leatheringpaddles upon said means and the keel, and adjustablemeans supported above the lioat for engaging the shoe of a user.

The combination with a collapsible keel and leathe-ring paddlesconnected thereto. ot a float detachably mounted on the keel, eatheringpaddles supported at the sides thereof, and means supported above thefloat for attaching the same to the 'toot of' a user.

6. The. combination with a collapsible keel and nose pieces hingedlyconnected to the ends thereof. Ot feathering paddles se cured to thekeel, a `float detachably connected to the keel and between the nosepieces, 'teathering paddles supported at the sides of tbe lioat, andmeans supportml above the float for connecting it lo the 'toot el theuser. i

Y. The combination with a feldable keel and nose pieces' ingedlyconnected to the ends thereof., of bowed strips pivotally connected tothe keel, an adjustable connection between the innermost strips.telescopic connections between the rei'naining strips and the nosepieces, means n'iouuted on the inner strips 'for connecting the same tothe toot ol' a user, and a float extending under tbe bowed strips andheld thereby to the keel. A8. The combination with a 'foldable keel andnose pieces hingedly connected to tbe ends thereof, of bowed stripspivotally connected to the keel, an 'adjustable connection between theinnermost strips, telescopic connections between the remaining stripsand the nose pieces, means n'1oun'ted on the inner strlps for conneotlngthe same to the foot of a user, and a float extending' under the bowedstrips and held thereby to the keel,

and eatherng paddles connected to the keel and to the bowed strips.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto axed mySignature 1n the presence of two Wltnesses.

